Special Education Needs: Support and Safeguarding in Early Years

This essay examines special educational needs (SEN) within early years settings, focusing on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and its effects on children's progress. It critically analyzes UK policies such as the Equality Act 2010 and the Children and Families Act 2014, emphasizing their impact on learning and teaching methodologies. The essay also interprets how early years practitioners provide specific support, including creating structured environments, facilitating communication, and using visual aids, while validating the importance of safeguarding children with disabilities. The discussion is supported by relevant academic sources and government guidelines.

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Special Education Needs
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Examine a range of special educational needs that an early years’ practitioner may
encounter in early years settings and review the potential effects on children’s
achievements and progress.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disability which makes a child develop at a
different rate than other children (Constantino and Charman 2016). Children with this disorder
do not produce the general necessarily skills at the same pace as healthy children. They find it
hard in paying attention, have communication problems, and understanding other perspectives
(Moskowitz et al. 2017).
Autism was used to identify anyone with that particular disorder. However, the disease
has been subcategorised in to the various level of disability. Asperger’s disorder can be
diagnosed when children do not show proper social interaction and have a problem in
communication although it is thought that Asperger’s diagnosed children are highly intelligent
and exclusive focus. Children with limited emotional connection, intensive routine follow falls
under Kanner’s syndrome. These children are hugely effected with loud noises and bright lights.
Rett’s syndrome makes the patient suffer from muscle atrophy and are almost mentally retarded
to some degree. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is sporadic. The disorder would not allow the
children to interact at all, regressing their communication skills (Iser.com 2015). Generally, the
teacher may face problems while teaching the student verbally as the disorder does not allow
them to function appropriately in understanding or following instructions. The teacher must be
focused on them and find the children’s interest, helping them expertise in those areas. They may
face a problem in gaining the trust of the student. Toilet problems, writing skills, problems in
eating, behavioural outbursts are likely to be encountered by the nurse (Ginn et al. 2017). These

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factors will help the children with progressing in social interaction and fitting in the crowd, and
also in day to day activities.
Critically analyse particular themes in individual education policy thinking and practice
and how they relate to learning and teaching methodologies.
The United Kingdom has overseen the rise in problems regarding special child care. In
essence, to that, the parliament has passed bills which has policies regarding unique childcare.
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) deal with a child or young person’s learning
ability. It can affect their behaviour or ability to socialise, making friends, reading and writing
skill for ASD, ability to understand things, concentration levels and physical strength (GOV.UK
2019). The government of England undertook the following policies on autism.
According to the Equality Act (2010), a disability is considered as physical or cerebral damage,
having a long term and extensive adverse effect on a person, not allowing them to carry out day
to day activities. Discriminations will not be permitted by schools, childcare parties,
organisations and local councils against disabling children, making reasonable adjustments and
ensuring that these particular children have equal rights and learning prospects as other children.
The Children and Families Act (2014) and the SEND code for practice (2014) are two policies
which were introduced under this act. These policies aim to provide children with special
educational needs and disabilities for more significant support, choices and opportunities. These
policies promote the methodologies that will guide early years’ practitioner. Oral instructions
should be provided to the students with reading disabilities, frequent progress check. Immediate
feedback is suggested to be given which would make the student feel motivated and help them
relating between what they were taught and what they learned. Instructions should be provided in

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both oral and written form, as this will help them overcome their ability to follow direction. The
teacher should allow students with high intelligence to design and develop on self-initiated
projects. The policy mentions that nursery nurses should provide opportunities for these gifted
children in active program and problem solving.
Interpret how an early years’ practitioner provides specific support and validate the
importance of safeguarding.
Specific steps are needed to be taken by early years’ practitioner for providing support to
the children who need special care (Güleç-Aslan 2013)
Creating a Structured Environment - Children who are diagnosed with autism will feel more
comfortable when they are provided with a routine that has clear structures, and fewer
eccentricities from their proposed schedule. Making sure that learning environment and lesson
plans help the student in knowing about the things that needed to be done and when it is required
to be completed.
Making Sure that Communication is Easy – Different communications techniques should be
used by the educators dealing with children having ASD. Sign language is suggested to be used
for those special children who have low speech skills. Facilitated communication is also
encouraged for making better learning opportunity for the children.
Usage of Visual Aids – Pictures, photographs, drawings are suggested to be used by the tutor for
autism suffering children as visual recognition is more comfortable for them. Videos visually
delivering information are also suitable for them.

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U.K. has strict policies in safeguarding the disables and these above mentioned steps
could help the tutor in achieving the goals for protecting special children (Parker 2016).

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References
Constantino, J.N. and Charman, T., 2016. Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: reconciling the
syndrome, its diverse origins, and variation in expression. The Lancet Neurology, 15(3), pp.279-
291.
Ginn, N.C., Clionsky, L.N., Eyberg, S.M., Warner-Metzger, C. and Abner, J.P., 2017. Child-
directed interaction training for young children with autism spectrum disorders: Parent and child
outcomes. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 46(1), pp.101-109.
GOV.UK, 2015. Equality Act 2010: guidance. [online] Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance [Accessed 29 Jan. 2019].
GOV.UK, 2019. Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). [online]
Available at: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs [Accessed 29 Jan.
2019].
Güleç-Aslan, Y., 2013. A Training Programme for a Teacher Working with a Student with ASD:
An Action Research. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 13(4), pp.2229-2246.
Iser.com, 2015. Five Types of Autism. [online] Available at:
http://www.iser.com/resources/autism-types.html [Accessed 30 Jan. 2019].
Kielinen, M., Rantala, H., Timonen, E., Linna, S.L. and Moilanen, I., 2014. Associated medical
disorders and disabilities in children with autistic disorder: a population-based
study. Autism, 8(1), pp.49-60.

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Moskowitz, L.J., Walsh, C.E., Mulder, E., McLaughlin, D.M., Hajcak, G., Carr, E.G. and
Zarcone, J.R., 2017. Intervention for anxiety and problem behaviour in children with autism
spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. Journal of autism and developmental
disorders, 47(12), pp.3930-3948.
Parker, P., 2016. Safeguarding Children with Disabilities. In Clinical Practice at the Edge of
Care (pp. 103-127). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.